Recycled Notepads

In my office, we occasionally end up with large stacks of paper.  One side has been used, filled with typed information.  The other side is still clean.  Even though our office recycles, I still get a little twitchy when I see all that paper going into the bin, when I know a simple way to use the clean areas of paper and THEN dispose of it in the recycle bin.  I know, it’s not much.  But every little bit helps.

Some may argue that this is an awfully simple craft, and not the most attractive presentation.  My response would be that this blog is about using what I have on hand to make something new.  It doesn’t HAVE to be pretty.  And hey, if other people who do this want to embellish their notepads, that’s great!  Bling them up, add a bow or beads or anything else.  Functional cuteness is splendid, it’s just not my goal with this particular project.

That and I’m doing it during my down time at the office.  I tend to leave my ribbons and glitter at home.  Although I do have these cute little adhesive-backed rhinestones…hm…

So anyway, what did I use for this?

-A stack of white copy paper

-Clear school glue gel (white glue or Mod Podge would work just fine too)

-Scissors

-Large binder clips

-A flat object, like a popsicle stick, to smear glue with (I used the back of a letter opener, because that’s what I had on hand)

First, I took a few sheets of paper at a time, and folded them in half this way:

Then, I folded them in half THIS way:

I know, it's not in the middle. I eyeballed it.

With the papers still folded, I used the scissors to carefully cut the folds, directly on the seams.  I ended up with four pieces of paper (per full size sheet) approximately equal in size.  Remember that I said above I used a few sheets at a time.  This was to expedite the process.  Not too many though, because it’s tough to cut through too many sheets all together.

Next, I went through all the paper, turning it so that the blank sides were all face up, and the written sides were face down.  Like a big deck of cards.

I took the large binder clips and secured each side of the paper stack along what I decided would be the top of the notepad.  

I applied glue to the top of the notepad.  I spread it evenly using the flat end of a metal letter opener.  I used enough to saturate the paper into the nooks & crannies, but not so much that it would be drippy.  The binder clips were handy here, because they kept the notepad raised off of the table while the glue dried.  It probably only needs a few hours, but I left it overnight.

And voila!  I have several fresh notepads to jot down important stuff.  Names, phone numbers, doodles,  poetry, or whatever.